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Extended Project Qualification: Planning your project

Introduction

In order to plan your project ready for Planning Review you will need to:

  • Decide on your key aims and objectives
  • Decide what sort of planning tool(s) you will use to help you to stay on track
  • Understand the timetable of the year ahead
  • Create a first draft of your plan - this must be regularly reviewed and revised throughout your project.

The interactive lesson below will help you to work through all these stages.

As you work thorugh the lesson you will see these icons:

The THINK! icon means you need to stop and think about your own answer to the question. In a group situation you might discuss your answers. You do not need to write anything at this stage but you might need to later - don't skip these tasks! The TO DO icon means that you need to do something active in response to the task. This might be written or on the computer. I will usually want to see some evidence that this task has been completed.

The PROJECT Q logo means that I am expecting you to complete something on ProjectQ. This might be a section of the Production Log or something in your notes or I might have asked you to add a comment. Make sure you put the comment in the correct section though!

 The Teams logo means I want you to do something on Teams. This might be contributing to a group chat in HPQ Team, messaging me individually or completing an assignment.

First jobs

Check that you have:

  • Completed your Record of Initial Ideas on ProjectQ
  • Completed your Candidate Proposal Part A on ProjectQ
  • Checked for any messages on ProjectQ

Now work through the lesson below. Notice that most of the boxes are slideshows - make sure you click on the arrows to view all the slides.

Aims, Objectives and SMART Targets

Aims and objectives title slide
Aims vs Objectives
SMART targets
Sample SMART Targets
Action words

Your turn: Setting your objectives

TO DO:
Task 1
Setting Objectives
  • Read through the whole slideshow above
  • Think back to your objectives for your project from slide 2. Were they SMART? How could you make them SMARTER?
    You might want to use the SMART Objectives table (from the resource box on the right) to help you.
  • Write each objective on a post-it note (or a small piece of paper or do this on-screen using text boxes)
  • Arrange these tasks in the order that they need to be done. You might have some that can be done at the same time.
  • Photograph your list
  • Upload it to your journal section of ProjectQ

Planning tools

GANTT Chart video

Task 2

TO DO:
Task 2
Planning quiz
  • Read through the whole slideshow above. You might also want to watch the Gantt Chart video.
  • Do the planning quiz below
  • Have a look at some of the planning tools linked in the boxes on the right
  • Decide which you think will be most useful to you. There are lots of different ways you could make a plan - you only have to choose one!
  • Make a note in your ProjectQ journal which tool(s) you have chosen and why

Your turn: What typeof planner are you?

Artefact vs research report

SMART Objective planner

Action plan template

Regardless of whether you choose to use the action plan template as it stands, it includes all the important deadlines and key dates that you do need to include in your planning, so make sure that you have a look at it!

Gantt chart Excel template

Online tools and apps

Remember that if you choose to use an online tool then you MUST take regular screenshots to show how you have used it through the project. I suggest saving these to your journal section of ProjectQ.